MBABANE – The October International Theatre Festival (OITF) launch was a beautiful cultural event, where creatives gathered for a historic evening.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pholile Shakantu, the evening Keynote Speaker was represented by Penelope Mkhwanazi, who said it was an honour to be a part of the historic evening.
In her remarks, Mkhwanazi said Mbabane as the host city of the festival, meant that the vision of Mbabane becoming a smart city would come to fruition.
“As chairperson of the Eswatini Tourism Authority, we carry the responsibility of helping to market Eswatini as a destination. From a tourism perspective, a smart city must also be a vibrant city, a city that remains alive beyond the working day. We, therefore, welcome this vision for Mbabane enormously. As we market our beautiful country and invite visitors to experience Eswatini, our capital city becomes an important part of that experience,” said Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi further stated that initiatives such as Genesis Ekucaleni Media matter. “A vibrant city needs a vibrant creative economy. Our artists, storytellers, musicians, filmmakers and cultural entrepreneurs are part of what gives a city its identity, energy and soul. This vision strengthens the destination we are collectively working to take to the world,” added Mkhwanazi.
Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) CEO, Stanley Dlamini during his remarks stressed that local filmmakers should be looking at beyond just normal storytelling.
“If you were to visit any country in the world, you will find that they all have writers who portray stories that talk about gender-based violence or maybe teaching about foot-and-mouth, that is very excellent for the society as we need that.
“As emaSwati, I wish that more locals would draft plays that depict who we are. The truth of the matter is that what will sell outside the world is our cultural identity.
“I want writers to give productions that give tourists a clear picture of our neighbourhood,” he said.
The CEO also added that he has been in talks with people from the office that they host local productions at least once a week at the Theatre Club.
“I want to emphasise that the plays that I want in the Theatre are stories that perhaps talk about chief or land disputes, maybe even talk about Swati gold because those are some of the things that the world knows us for. The world is full of common plays,” concluded the CEO.
The OITF is in partnership with Genesis Ekucaleni Media whose founder is Minister Pholile Shakantu. Genesis Ekucaleni Media (GEM), an initiative born from a vision to create space for Eswatini’s stories, culture and creative talent to be seen, heard and carried beyond our borders. GEM is founded on the belief that local stories matter, that Eswatini history and heritage deserve to be preserved and that emaSwati creatives deserve professional platforms through which their talent can be developed and showcased to the world.
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